What is the role of an architect these days? I think most people would say it’s to design beautiful and functional spaces, and of course, that’s not wrong.

But that’s not the whole story, or at least it shouldn’t be. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already paged through dozens (hundreds? thousands?!) of images on the internet, looking for ideas that feel right for your project, whether it’s a new kitchen for your home, a new buildout for your business, a fresh look for a new restaurant you’re launching. Why not just hand one of those to a contractor and get on with your day?

Well, of course you can do that. But here’s the trick: every last one of the spaces in those images was designed for someone else. Which is to say, not for you. For your specific space, your specific needs and objectives, your specific taste, your specific budget, your specific building code requirements, your specific materials, fixtures, and finishes. You.

That’s where a seasoned architect can really make all the difference. Between a project that goes over budget, takes an eternity, sucks away your time, spikes your stress, drains your spirit, and in the end, isn’t really even what you envisioned in the first place…

Or a project that, wow, looks great, comes in on time and on budget, and does exactly what you wanted it to do in the first place. Imagine that.

One of the ways I dramatically increase the odds of that happening is pretty simple: I stay with your project.  A good architect doesn’t just whip off some drawings and hand them to a contractor and hope things work out. Instead:

• I work with you to design and/or furnish the space you’re envisioning, always calibrating to your budget, taste, and goals. Clients love my strategy of presenting Small, Medium and Large solutions to their projects, because it gives them a real sense of what their money can buy.
• I share my extensive knowledge of materials, furnishings and appliances to give you options that will help make your project unique. (This is also called “shopping”, and yes, it’s one of the most fun parts of any project!)
• I know The Code. I’m a licensed architect in Oregon, Washington and Illinois, so I have to know a lot, of course. But I’ve always gone the extra mile to understand and unravel the maze of building codes any project has to feel its way through to reach the light of day. Knowledge is power! And boy does that save a lot of time and headaches …
• And finally, I’m there for you throughout the all-important last leg of our journey, getting it built, and built right. You’ve probably heard a lot of contractor horror stories, and certainly, there are some shockingly bad ones. But I can also tell you that there are just as many – maybe more – who love what they do and are passionate about doing great work. I can help ensure you’ve hired the latter, but even better, my respect for the craft and my knowledge of materials and building techniques mean I design spaces that can actually be built. Turns out contractors actually like that because it means a smoother, more efficient build, and they get to focus on doing good work instead of constantly whacking moles.

I help make all this happen because I’ve got more than 35 years’ experience doing it, and I’ve been doing it for 35 years because I love doing it. Every project, every client, every environment is unique, each with unique challenges and goals. And I get to help figure each one out and then deliver a space that makes my clients happy.

No better job for someone with my curiosity, love of people, and fascination mastering the details that matter.

So let’s talk about your project and how I might be able to make sure that what you have in your mind ends up matching what gets built. Looking forward to working with you!